SOLOMON THOMAS DIDN’T TRAVEL the same path as most blue-chip high school football players. He grew up as a competitive swimmer in Australia, and didn’t step on a football field for the
first time until the age of 10.

“My family moved a lot when I was young – allbecause of my dad’s job,” Thomas says. “I didn’tknow about football until I moved to Texas, andthen I had to learn the game. At first, I tackledevery person I saw. I finally got the hang of it.”Thomas still wasn’t sold on football as a highschool freshman at Coppell, when he consideredquitting football to focus on basketball. Now a6-foot- 3, 264-pound defensive end, Thomasseems a natural fit on the gridiron. He is the topstrong-side defensive end in the nation on manypublications’ recruiting rankings.

It’s easy to forget Thomas didn’t see a single
snap of varsity time at Coppell during the regular season of his freshman year. He made his
first appearance in a varsity game in a playoff
game that season.

“I practiced with the varsity as a freshman,but I played games with the freshman team,”Thomas says. “The first game I played, I was sonervous with a full stadium. I went 100 percent,but my technique wasn’t the best.”Thomas hasn’t stopped focusing on his tech-nique since, and he is now a force against therun. As a junior, he had 89 tackles, 8 ½ sacksand 18 hurries, despite the fact that opposingteams drew up game plans to avoid him.

“My coaches focus so much on technique,and I do extra work after every practice,”Thomas says. “I work on hand point and shortpower steps. I work the sled every day. I reallyemphasize technique.”Thomas is the rare dominant defensive endwho can’t be fully appreciated through statisticslike sacks or tackles. He often took on double-and triple-teams as a junior, opening up lanes forhis defensive teammates in a season in whichCoppell went undefeated in the regular season.

“If I’m blocked, I move sideways,” Thomassays. “I play my technique, and if I can’t makea play, I make one for someone else. I’ve in-creased my level of play by getting stronger andquicker, but I’m more concerned with helpingmy teammates.”Thomas was met with tragedy in the midst ofhis breakout junior season. His best friend andteammate Jacob Logan drowned Oct. 14.

“Jacob taught me so much — how to workharder, be a better player, a better believer inGod, a better friend,” Thomas says. “When hepassed, I knew I needed to go to other peopleand tell them what he told me.”FOLLOW US ON TWIT TER @FNFMAGAZINEFRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TEXAS 2013